REDUCE YOUR HIGH CHOLESTEROL FOR BETTER HEALTH

How do you reduce high cholesterol? While the drug companies are keen to push high dollar medications, the most effective way to reduce high cholesterol is through changing your diet, managing your weight and increasing exercise.

The research leaves it in no doubt that healthy eating can reduce high cholesterol levels. While you want to reduce overall fat intake as much as possible, the crucial factor is reducing your intake of saturated fats.

Saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the blood, and is found in many of the most popular foods in the American diet - thus most people in the US eat too much saturated fat and could improve their health by reducing or eliminating saturated fats from their diet. Some of the main sources of saturated fats in the American diet include: Butter, Lard, Full Fat Milk and Yogurt, Hard Cheese, Cakes, Cookies, Pastries, Ice Cream and All Fast Foods. Do not forget Chips.

Just about all types of fast food includes a lot of saturated fats, or the equally dangerous trans fats. These can be found in burgers, fries, pizza, fried fish, chicken sandwiches, Mexican food, and Chinese food, to name but a few.

Why is this so important? Research has shown that elevated cholesterol levels are a high risk factor for heart disease, so lowering cholesterol levels is one of the best ways to reduce your chance of illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes.

In addition to modifying your diet, there are other positive steps that you can take if your doctor has advised you to cut your cholesterol levels. These include:

Eating plenty of fiber, especially soluble fiber. Soluble fiber, which is found in fruits and vegetables, beans and oats, has been shown to naturally lower blood cholesterol levels. If you ensure that you eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day you will help to ensure that your diet contains plenty of soluble fiber.

Excess weight is also associated with elevated cholesterol levels, so losing weight will help to reduce your cholesterol levels. As excess weight is also associated with heart disease, diabetes and cancer, it is one of the most effective ways of improving your overall health.

Quitting smoking:  Another risk factor for cardio diseases, smoking will increase the risks from elevated cholesterol levels.

Reducing alcohol consumption:  Like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption is another risk factor for heart disease, and can compound the effects of elevated cholesterol levels. As alcohol is also high in calories, reducing alcohol consumption will also help in weight loss.

Increasing exercise levels: Increasing physical activity can enhance the cholesterol-lowering effects of diet and will support long term, healthy weight loss.

In addition to the positive steps that you can take yourself, your doctor may also prescribe cholesterol-lowering medicines. This is increasingly likely if you already have heart disease, or have other high risk factors.

However, these are not wonder drugs, and will only truly work if you are making the life style chances outlined above to support the work of the medication.